Files
petal/internal/llm/prompts.go
T
prosolis 7fa98d03c7 Both sections of the advice arrived in the language she is not learning
Reported from the phone: "I have my main language set as Portuguese and I say
I'm learning English but yet Petal presents the Ask Petal advice in both
sections as Portuguese."

Nothing was wrong with targetFor again. A Portuguese document by a Portuguese
writer is explained in Portuguese, which is the whole point of Phase 28. The
card was right. What was wrong was the tap underneath it: /suggestions/{id}
/translate answered "" for exactly that case, on the reasoning that an
unasked-for English rendering of an explanation she can already read is not a
seed but noise. That reasoning had the writer facing the wrong way. She is
learning English. The half she is *practising* is the half worth a tap, and the
bubble sits directly beneath the explanation inside the same card, so answering
"" left her with Portuguese, the same Portuguese again, and no English anywhere
on the card. targetFor's own comment promised the other language stays one tap
away in both directions; only one direction had ever been built.

So the endpoint keeps the one rule it always claimed: render into whichever
half the explanation is not already in. English explanation into her language,
as before; her language into the English she is learning, which is new. Both
ends of that are now parameters — TranslateMessages took the source language
for granted as English because until Phase 28 it always was. The zh prompt is
unchanged byte for byte, which its test still pins.

The client fallback was the same symptom from a different cause and would have
survived the server fix: an empty answer, or an unreachable model, seeded the
bubble with the explanation itself — a verbatim repeat of the line two above
it, which reads as Petal replying in the language the tap was pressed to
escape. With the endpoint always having somewhere to go, empty now means only
that the model didn't answer, so the panel opens with no bubble at all and the
input where she can ask. AskPetal no longer takes the explanation as a prop; it
never needed anything but the id.

The test that pinned the refusal now pins the rendering, and carries the report.

Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01KGACAtTPjvZ2PipDZ5qD99
2026-08-02 12:03:19 -07:00

358 lines
18 KiB
Go

package llm
import "fmt"
// checkpointSystemPrompt is the grammar-checkpoint instruction. It asks for
// strict JSON (no fences, no preamble) so Complete's output parses directly.
const checkpointSystemPrompt = `You are a warm, encouraging writing assistant helping someone who speaks English as a second language. ` +
`Analyze the text below and identify up to 5 issues: grammar errors, unnatural phrasing, ` +
`incorrect idiom usage, or unclear sentences that are common ESL patterns.
Be specific, friendly, and explain WHY each suggestion improves the writing.%s
Respond ONLY with valid JSON. No preamble, no markdown fences. Format:
{
"suggestions": [
{
"original": "exact text from the document that needs fixing",
"replacement": "corrected version",
"explanation": "friendly one-sentence explanation",
"type": "grammar|phrasing|idiom|clarity"
}
]
}
If the writing looks good, return: {"suggestions": []}`
// toneGuidance returns a sentence steering the checkpoint toward the writer's
// chosen tone, or "" for the neutral default. The clause is appended to the
// checkpoint instructions so the model's phrasing suggestions fit the target
// register (e.g. an academic essay vs a casual journal). Unknown values fall
// back to no steering, so a stray tone string is harmless.
func toneGuidance(tone string) string {
clause, ok := map[string]string{
"academic": "formal, academic, and objective — suited to a school essay or research paper",
"professional": "polished and professional — suited to a workplace email or report",
"casual": "relaxed, friendly, and conversational",
"humorous": "light, playful, and good-humored",
"creative": "vivid, expressive, and imaginative — suited to a story or personal narrative",
"persuasive": "confident and persuasive — suited to an argument or opinion piece",
}[tone]
if !ok {
return ""
}
return "\n\nThe writer wants this document to read as " + clause + ". When phrasing could " +
"be improved, prefer suggestions that fit that tone, and gently flag wording that clashes with it."
}
// pairCheckpointSystemPrompt is the grammar checkpoint for a document written in
// the writer's own language rather than in English.
//
// It is a separate constant rather than a language clause appended to
// checkpointSystemPrompt, because that prompt opens by naming the reader as an
// ESL learner and asks for "common ESL patterns" — appending "and explain in
// Portuguese" would hand the model two contradictory framings. Only the framing
// differs; the JSON contract and the tone clause below it are the same
// instructions in the same order, so the two prompts stay comparable.
//
// The "never translate" line is the one the model most wants to disobey: asked
// to improve Portuguese while being an English writing assistant by training, it
// will happily hand back an English rendering, which is a translation card
// (Phase 25's `isTranslation`) and not a correction.
const pairCheckpointSystemPrompt = `You are a warm, encouraging writing assistant. The person you are helping is ` +
`writing in %[1]s, and the text below is %[1]s. ` +
`Analyze it and identify up to 5 issues: grammar errors, unnatural phrasing, ` +
`incorrect idiom usage, or unclear sentences.
Both "original" and "replacement" must be written in %[1]s. You are improving their %[1]s writing — ` +
`never translate it into English, and never suggest they write in English instead.
Write every "explanation" in %[2]s.
Be specific, friendly, and explain WHY each suggestion improves the writing.%[3]s
Respond ONLY with valid JSON. No preamble, no markdown fences. Format:
{
"suggestions": [
{
"original": "exact text from the document that needs fixing",
"replacement": "corrected version",
"explanation": "friendly one-sentence explanation",
"type": "grammar|phrasing|idiom|clarity"
}
]
}
If the writing looks good, return: {"suggestions": []}`
// CheckpointMessages builds the message array for a grammar checkpoint over the
// given (already-truncated) document text, steered toward the document's tone
// and aimed at the language the document is actually written in.
func CheckpointMessages(contentText, tone string, t Target) []Message {
system := fmt.Sprintf(checkpointSystemPrompt, toneGuidance(tone))
if t.Flipped() {
system = fmt.Sprintf(pairCheckpointSystemPrompt, t.Correct.Name, t.Explain.Name, toneGuidance(tone))
}
return []Message{
{Role: "system", Content: system},
{Role: "user", Content: contentText},
}
}
// voiceSystemPrompt drives the Tier-1 voice-consistency pass. It is a distinct
// pass from the grammar checkpoint (spec: "do not bundle them") — the model
// reads the whole document to learn the writer's natural voice, then flags
// passages that read as tonally out of place. `replacement` is null: these are
// awareness-only, with no correction to apply.
const voiceSystemPrompt = `You are a warm, encouraging writing assistant helping someone who speaks English as a second language. ` +
`You are reviewing a COMPLETE document for VOICE CONSISTENCY only — not grammar.
Read the whole document to learn the writer's natural voice, then identify any passages (2 or more sentences) ` +
`that feel tonally inconsistent with the surrounding writing — unusually formal, unusually polished, or phrased ` +
`in a way that differs from the writer's established voice elsewhere in the document. These often signal text ` +
`that was paraphrased too closely from another source. Do not flag the first paragraph (there is no baseline yet). ` +
`Do not flag grammar or spelling mistakes — only voice.
Respond ONLY with valid JSON. No preamble, no markdown fences. Format:
{
"suggestions": [
{
"original": "exact passage from the document that feels inconsistent",
"replacement": null,
"explanation": "friendly one-sentence note, e.g. 'This passage sounds more formal than the rest of your writing — worth reviewing.'",
"type": "voice"
}
]
}
If the voice is consistent throughout, return: {"suggestions": []}`
// pairVoiceSystemPrompt is the voice pass for a document in the writer's own
// language. Voice consistency is the one pass that transfers across languages
// unchanged — a paragraph that reads as pasted from elsewhere reads that way in
// any language — so only the framing and the explanation language move.
const pairVoiceSystemPrompt = `You are a warm, encouraging writing assistant. The person you are helping is writing ` +
`in %[1]s. You are reviewing a COMPLETE %[1]s document for VOICE CONSISTENCY only — not grammar.
Read the whole document to learn the writer's natural voice, then identify any passages (2 or more sentences) ` +
`that feel tonally inconsistent with the surrounding writing — unusually formal, unusually polished, or phrased ` +
`in a way that differs from the writer's established voice elsewhere in the document. These often signal text ` +
`that was paraphrased too closely from another source. Do not flag the first paragraph (there is no baseline yet). ` +
`Do not flag grammar or spelling mistakes — only voice.
Quote each passage exactly as it appears, in %[1]s. Write every "explanation" in %[2]s.
Respond ONLY with valid JSON. No preamble, no markdown fences. Format:
{
"suggestions": [
{
"original": "exact passage from the document that feels inconsistent",
"replacement": null,
"explanation": "friendly one-sentence note about why this passage sounds unlike the rest",
"type": "voice"
}
]
}
If the voice is consistent throughout, return: {"suggestions": []}`
// VoiceMessages builds the message array for a voice-consistency pass. Unlike
// the checkpoint, the caller passes the WHOLE document (no truncation) — voice
// consistency is judged against the established voice everywhere else.
//
// The pass had no language argument at all before Phase 28, which was the same
// English assumption the checkpoint made, just unstated.
func VoiceMessages(contentText string, t Target) []Message {
system := voiceSystemPrompt
if t.Flipped() {
system = fmt.Sprintf(pairVoiceSystemPrompt, t.Correct.Name, t.Explain.Name)
}
return []Message{
{Role: "system", Content: system},
{Role: "user", Content: contentText},
}
}
// collocationSystemPrompt drives the collocation coach — the single most
// valuable polish for an ESL writer. It flags word PAIRINGS that are not wrong,
// just non-native ("do a decision" → "make a decision", "strong rain" → "heavy
// rain"), and explicitly DEFERS real grammar/spelling errors to the grammar
// checkpoint so the two families don't overlap. Every explanation is framed as a
// warm "natives usually say…" note with a short gloss in the writer's own
// language — never "error/wrong" — because these are stylistic, not mistakes. It is a distinct
// pass from the grammar checkpoint (do not bundle them). `replacement` carries
// the natural pairing the writer can accept in one tap.
const collocationSystemPrompt = `You are a warm, encouraging writing assistant helping someone who speaks English as a second language. ` +
`You are reviewing a COMPLETE document for COLLOCATIONS only — the natural word pairings native speakers use.
A collocation is a pair or short group of words that native speakers habitually say together. ESL writers ` +
`often choose words that are grammatically correct but sound non-native: "do a decision" instead of "make a decision", ` +
`"strong rain" instead of "heavy rain", "say a joke" instead of "tell a joke". These are NOT grammar mistakes — they ` +
`are just not what a native speaker would naturally say.
Identify up to 5 such non-native word pairings. For each, give the natural pairing a native speaker would use. ` +
`Be gentle and specific. Do NOT flag grammar errors, spelling mistakes, or unclear sentences — those are handled ` +
`elsewhere. Only flag word pairings that are correct but sound non-native.%s
Phrase every explanation warmly as "Natives usually say…" and include a brief %s gloss in parentheses. ` +
`Never use the words "error", "wrong", or "mistake" — these are friendly polish, not corrections.
Respond ONLY with valid JSON. No preamble, no markdown fences. Format:
{
"suggestions": [
{
"original": "exact word pairing from the document",
"replacement": "the natural native pairing",
"explanation": "friendly note, e.g. 'Natives usually say \"make a decision\" rather than \"do a decision\" (native usage / 地道说法).'",
"type": "collocation"
}
]
}
If every pairing already sounds natural, return: {"suggestions": []}`
// CollocationMessages builds the message array for a collocation pass over the
// WHOLE document (no truncation), gently steered toward the document's tone so a
// hint can prefer a register-appropriate pairing. The parenthetical gloss is
// written in the writer's own language — `Pair`, not `Explain`: the gloss is
// addressed to her rather than to the document.
//
// The coach itself remains English-only. Collocation lists are the one thing
// here that is genuinely per-language knowledge rather than framing, and
// "natives usually say" for Portuguese is a claim this prompt has no grounds to
// make yet; a flipped document simply gets the pass it always got. (Phase 28
// moved the checkpoint and the voice pass; this one waits for evidence.)
func CollocationMessages(contentText, tone string, t Target) []Message {
return []Message{
{Role: "system", Content: fmt.Sprintf(collocationSystemPrompt, toneGuidance(tone), t.Pair.Name)},
{Role: "user", Content: contentText},
}
}
// askPetalSystemTemplate is the Ask Petal tutor prompt. The suggestion context
// is interpolated in; the user's own messages are appended after this system
// turn by the caller.
//
// The reply is bilingual, the pair language first. Until UX item 6 it mirrored
// the language of the question instead — self-consistent, but it meant asking in
// one language cost you the other, and the writer doesn't always know which one
// the answer will be clearer in. Which half is the safety net and which is the
// lesson depends on who is writing: the pair is (English + X) either way, and an
// English speaker learning French wants the French half for the same reason a
// Mandarin speaker learning English wants the English one. Petal cannot tell
// them apart from a chat message, and doesn't need to — every other explanation
// surface already gives both (the card's English body, the seeded bubble in the
// pair language). The answer that goes deepest into the "why" was the one place
// that didn't.
//
// The blank line between the halves is a contract with the client: AskPetal.tsx
// splits on the first one to render her language prominently and the English
// beneath it, mirroring the companion's bubble. A model that ignores the
// instruction and writes one language degrades to a single plain block — the
// answer is still readable, which is why the split is a rendering nicety and
// never a parse the reply depends on.
const askPetalSystemTemplate = `You are Petal, a warm and patient English writing tutor helping someone who is learning English ` +
`as a second language. You are currently discussing a specific writing suggestion.
Suggestion context:
- Original text: "%[1]s"
- Suggested replacement: "%[2]s"
- Issue type: %[3]s
- Initial explanation: "%[4]s"
- Surrounding paragraph: "%[5]s"
The user wants to understand this suggestion better. Answer in BOTH languages, every time, ` +
`whichever language they asked their question in: first the whole answer in %[6]s, then the ` +
`same answer again in English. Separate the two with a single blank line. Do not label them, ` +
`do not use a blank line anywhere else, and do not mix the two languages within one half — ` +
`each half is complete on its own.
One of those two languages is the one they are surest in and the other is the one they are ` +
`working in — you do not know which way round, so give both and let them choose. Both halves ` +
`say the same thing: do not put a point in one that is missing from the other.
Explain clearly and kindly. Use simple language appropriate to the user's message. Give examples ` +
`when helpful. If they ask "why" (or "%[7]s"), explain the grammar rule or idiom behind it. ` +
`If they suggest an alternative phrasing, evaluate it honestly.
Keep each half concise (2-3 sentences). This is a chat, not an essay. Be encouraging — ` +
`learning a language is hard and they're doing great.`
// AskPetalSystemPrompt fills the tutor prompt with one suggestion's context and
// the writer's pair language, which is the one she may ask her question in.
func AskPetalSystemPrompt(original, replacement, suggestionType, explanation, paragraph string, lang Lang) string {
return fmt.Sprintf(askPetalSystemTemplate, original, replacement, suggestionType, explanation, paragraph, lang.Name, lang.Why)
}
// rewriteSystemTemplate drives the "say it more naturally" / tone-rewrite tool.
// The writer selects a passage and picks a style; the model rewrites that
// passage in place. The instruction is deliberately strict about returning ONLY
// the rewritten passage so the result can be dropped straight into the editor —
// no quotes, no preamble, no commentary to strip.
const rewriteSystemTemplate = `You are Petal, a warm English writing assistant helping someone who speaks English ` +
`as a second language. Rewrite the passage the user sends so that it %s, while preserving its original ` +
`meaning. Fix any grammar mistakes and awkward phrasing along the way. Keep it about the same length — ` +
`do not add new ideas, explanations, or commentary.
Respond with ONLY the rewritten passage. No quotation marks around it, no preamble, no notes — just the ` +
`rewritten English text, ready to drop back into the document.`
// styleGuidance maps a rewrite style onto the clause describing the target
// register. "natural" is the default "say it more naturally" action; the rest
// mirror the document-tone vocabulary (see toneGuidance / the ToneSelect UI).
// An unknown style falls back to the natural rewrite.
func styleGuidance(style string) string {
switch style {
case "academic":
return "reads as formal, academic English suited to a school essay or research paper"
case "professional":
return "reads as polished, professional English suited to a workplace email or report"
case "casual":
return "sounds relaxed, friendly, and conversational"
case "humorous":
return "has a light, playful, good-humored tone"
case "creative":
return "is vivid, expressive, and imaginative"
case "persuasive":
return "is confident and persuasive"
default: // "natural"
return "sounds natural and fluent, the way a native English speaker would naturally say it"
}
}
// RewriteMessages builds the message array for a tone-rewrite: the styled system
// instruction plus the passage to rewrite as the user turn.
func RewriteMessages(text, style string) []Message {
return []Message{
{Role: "system", Content: fmt.Sprintf(rewriteSystemTemplate, styleGuidance(style))},
{Role: "user", Content: text},
}
}
// translateSystemPrompt drives the explanation translator: it renders a
// suggestion's explanation into the half of the pair the explanation is not
// already in, so the "why" is readable from both sides. Strict about returning
// ONLY the translation (no quotes, no romanisation, no echo of the source) so it
// can drop straight into the chat bubble. Kept warm and plain — these are short,
// friendly one-liners.
//
// Both languages are parameters because neither end is a constant. Until Phase
// 28 the source was always English and the destination always hers; a document
// written in her own language is explained in her own language, and then the tap
// runs the other way, into the English she is practising.
const translateSystemPrompt = `You are Petal, a warm writing assistant. Translate the %[1]s text the user ` +
`sends into natural, friendly %[2]s. It is a short explanation of a writing ` +
`suggestion, written for someone who is learning one of %[1]s and %[2]s and reads the other most easily.
Respond with ONLY the %[2]s translation. No quotation marks, no romanisation, no %[1]s, no preamble — ` +
`just the translated sentence.`
// TranslateMessages builds the message array for rendering one short
// explanation out of the language it arrived in and into the other half of the
// writer's pair.
func TranslateMessages(text string, from, to Lang) []Message {
return []Message{
{Role: "system", Content: fmt.Sprintf(translateSystemPrompt, from.Name, to.Name)},
{Role: "user", Content: text},
}
}